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KIDS' BUYER'S GUIDE

How to choose the best kids' bike

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The 9 Best Girls' Bikes

Whether she’s a shredder in the making or just getting started on two wheels, one of these bikes will do.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

Girls’ bikes have changed a lot since we were young enough to ride them. While most of us learned using training wheels (or the close-your-eyes-and-pray method), kids today have balance bikes , which teach them to keep a bike upright without having to give up the safety net of putting their feet on the ground.

Today’s kids’ bikes are not only safer, more comfortable, and higher quality, but they’re also just more fun to ride. They have geometry that’s better-designed for a more stable ride, higher-quality parts, lighter frames, more size options, wider tires, and hand brakes—all of which add up to a better experience for growing riders. There are even kids’ bikes with suspension forks and disc brakes for young girls who really want to shred.

Here’s what to look for when shopping for a girls’ bike, plus 10 rides we recommend—for everyone from toddlers just learning how to balance, to young rippers looking to send it, and teenagers almost ready to move up to a full-size women’s bike .

Sometimes Color Is the Only Difference, But Not Always

If you look at some of the bigger brands’ websites—Trek, Specialized, Liv, Giant—you’ll notice the kids’ category is typically “youth” rather than “girls” and “boys.” And it seems that there’s often no distinction between girls’ and boys’ bikes other than color.

Trek’s website, for example, shows different versions for boys and girls for all six models in its Precaliber line (from the 12-inch up to the 8-speed 24-inch model with suspension). But if you compare the bikes’ components, they’re identical, the only difference being frame-color options. Put the Liv Enchant 20 Lite next to the Giant XTC Jr. 20 Lite, however, and though they might appear to be the same bike with different paint—they have all the same components, after all—you’ll see their geometries are slightly different. The Liv has a longer seat tube, shorter reach, and lower standover height.

“When purchasing a bike for a youth rider , regardless of gender, the most important things to consider are comfort, the rider’s ability to control the bike, and that the bike isn’t too heavy for the rider,” says John Munhall, director of bike product at Liv Cycling. “Much of what leads to different demands and functional nuances for product design between both genders generally doesn’t take place until after the puberty stage for both men and women,” he says.

So if the blue unisex Giant XTC feels and fits her better than the purple girls’ Liv Enchant, go with the more comfortable ride. A bike that feels good and safe will encourage her to get out there more than an uncomfortable one that coincidentally happens to be her favorite color.

Make Sure the Bike Fits, or She Won’t Ride It

Not every bike manufacturer sizes its youth bikes the same way, so it’s important to understand what you’re looking at when perusing different websites. For example, Trek, Cannondale, and Giant use wheel size to group their kids’ bikes, but Trek goes one step further and includes an age group and height range. Specialized breaks down sizing as Toddler, Little Kids, and Big Kids, each followed by an age range.

But any elementary school class photo will show you that kids in the same age group don’t necessarily fall within the same height range. The best plan is to find the size you think works best and use it as a starting point (in addition to the manufacturer’s sizing method, use this handy wheel-size chart). If you can, also have your kid try different sizes at a local shop before buying. One thing you don’t want to do is buy a bike she can grow into—this isn’t her sister’s Easter dress hand-me-down. If the bike is too big, it will, at best, sit unused in the garage. At worst, it will be hard to control and dangerous to ride.

Other Features to Consider

Modern geometry.

Kids’ bikes, like adult models, are getting lower and longer. A bottom bracket that is closer to the ground lowers the bike’s center of gravity, providing more stability and an easier time getting on and off. A longer wheelbase makes the bike less twitchy, which is a bonus as kids begin to develop handling skills.

Wider Tires

For younger girls, look for options with wider, mountain bike-style tires, which offer more grip and can be run at lower pressures for better traction. Save the skinny tires for when she’s ready to start shopping in the “women’s road bikes” category.

Aluminum Frame

Just as you wouldn’t want to pedal a 40-pound road bike uphill, your little one—with her developing leg muscles—doesn’t want to schlep around a heavy bike. Fortunately, there are lighter aluminum options available today than the steel ones we had as kids. Also, some brands hide a lot of weight in the wheels. A bike with aluminum rims and fewer spokes can save another pound.

Most kids’ bikes are singlespeed and use a variety of gear combinations. Some are easier to pedal (better for hills), while others are set up with a slightly harder gear (faster on the flats). Most manufacturers list chainring and rear cog sizes so you can compare.

How We Selected

I’ve been riding bikes for decades—and reviewing them for almost as long—but only since becoming a parent have I started to recognize how important bike quality and fit are for even the youngest riders. We tend to think about kids’ bikes as cheap, almost-interchangeable “toys,” but having a lightweight, well-designed bicycle that’s easy to mount and dismount has made all the difference in whether or not my daughter is fired up about going for a ride. I brought that consideration to this selection of bikes, as well as input from the kids of Bicycling ’s test editors, who rode many of these bikes and gave feedback about their experiences. We included others based on market research, user reviews, interviews with product managers and designers, and our own thoughts from riding adult bikes from the same brands. Before recommending these bikes, we considered weight, geometry, gearing, quality, value—and because kids grow out of bikes quickly, resale value. These are the nine girls’ bikes we recommend.

―STANDOVER CONFIDENCE―

Co-op cycles rev cty step-through kids’ bike.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 24 in. | Gearing: 42/34/24, Shimano Tourney, 14-34, 7-speed | Tires: Kenda Cosmos, 24 x 1.5 in. | Weight: Not listed (Estimated: 26 pounds)

Co-op Cycles Co-op Cycles REV CTY Step-Through Kids' Bike

Step-through frames are easy to mount and dismount due to their sloping or down-angled top tubes, which can go a long way in building kids’ early bike confidence and sense of handling. This unisex kids’ model is a great first multi-speed bike that can grow with your budding cyclist. It has a fairly lightweight aluminum frame and a triple crankset, so it’s ready to tackle the biggest climbs in the neighborhood. Shimano Tourney trigger shifters are easy to operate for kids who are new to shifting or accustomed to twist shifters. The bike feels smooth and stable on both roads and dirt paths.

―FOR PRESCHOOL SHREDDERS―

Spawn cycles yogi 16.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 16 in. | Gearing: Singlespeed | Tires: 16 x 1.90 in. Spawn Cycles Loam Star | Weight: 14 lb.

Spawn Spawn Yoji 16

If you have a mini-ripper in the making, she’ll love the Yoji for its burly frame and beefy tires. Plus, with the bike’s huge range of fun neon options from which to choose, she’ll be the talk of the playground. Made with 6061-T6 aluminum and a streamlined chromoly fork, with Tektro mini V-brakes and kid-size brake levers, the 16-inch Yoji builds on the brand’s best seller, the 16-inch Banshee. Spawn Cycles even made its own custom tires—the 16 x 1.90-inch Spawn Cycles Loam Stars—to really help her shred the gnar. Bonus: It can grow with your daughter, thanks to a stem that can flip to raise the handlebar height, and multiple headset spacers to add even more incremental height.

READ FULL REVIEW

―BEST FOR LEARNING―

Strider 12 sport balance bike.

Frame: Steel | Wheel Size: 12 in. | Gearing: None | Tires: 12-inch foam rubber | Weight: 6.7 lb.

Strider Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

Bikes without pedals allow tiny riders to learn to balance while pushing off the ground with their feet, before introducing the secondary skill of pedaling. This version in particular is made with flat-proof foam rubber tires and has an adjustable seat height to fit riders with 12- to 20-inch inseams (typically kids from ages two to five years old). The handlebar can be raised, along with the seat, as your little girl grows. It’s also available in red, green, blue, and pink.

—BEST VALUE BIKE―

Schwinn elm 20.

Frame: Steel | Wheel Size: 20 in. | Gearing: Singlespeed | Tires: Not listed | Weight: Not listed

Schwinn Schwinn Elm Girls Bike

The 20-inch-wheeled Elm, designed for riders 44 to 45 inches tall, is a great next step for when she outgrows her balance bike. A rear-leaning seat tube allows her to put her feet on the ground while seated and still keep the pedals at a comfortable distance, an important confidence-booster for new riders. Hand levers let her hone her skill of controlled braking, but a coaster brake is also present as backup while she learns. A built-in chain guard helps protect her fingers and feet, and keeps the chain in place through falls and careless tosses in the driveway. A tool-free, adjustable seatpost makes it easy to accommodate her as she grows (or passes it down to a sibling), and the included front basket adds charm and carrying capacity.

—PRE-K CRUISER―

Electra sprocket 16 kids bike.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 16 in. | Gearing: Singlespeed | Tires: 16 x 2.15 in. | Weight: 20 lb.

Electra Electra Sprocket 16

If you decide to go the old-school, training-wheels route instead of the balance-bike route when teaching your kid to ride, this cute little singlespeed is the perfect place to start. Sporting removable training wheels and both a rear coaster brake and front hand brake, the Sprocket 16 makes it easy for preschoolers and kindergartners to embark on their first two-wheeled adventures. Plus, Electra builds its bikes with another confidence-boosting feature: geometry that allows the rider to sit on the saddle while planting her feet on the ground. Once she’s ready to balance on her own, just remove the training wheels and watch her go on the bike’s cushy, smooth-rolling Kevlar tires—ideal for cruising the neighborhood, nearby park trails, and wherever else her heart takes her.

―EASY-TO-OPERATE SIDEWALK CRUISER―

Cannondale girls trail single-speed 20.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 20 in. | Gearing: Singlespeed | Tires: Not listed | Weight: 20.4 lb.

Cannondale Cannondale Girl's Kids Trail Single-Speed 20

This singlespeed bike will get your kid excited to ride. With just the single gear and a coaster brake, all she has to do is pedal forward to go and backward to stop. The stable tires (20 x 1.75 inches) help her stay balanced and planted on sidewalks and bike paths, and a kickstand lets her park wherever she wants. This 20-inch bike is best suited for girls ages 5 through 8. Though the aluminum bike might feel relatively light to you, the single gear restricts her ability to pedal up steeper hills, so it’s best to stick to flat routes on this one.

―FIRST SCHOOL COMMUTER―

Cannondale quick 24.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 24 in. | Gearing: Sunrace, 11-28, 7-speed | Tires: Kenda Small Block 8, 24 x 1.5 in. | Weight: 20 lb.

Cannondale Cannondale Quick 24 Kids' Bike

This 7-speed bike will get your kid excited to ride and foster her love of cycling for the long-term. The stable tires (24 x 1.5 inches) help her stay balanced and planted on sidewalks, bike lanes, and dirt paths. The Shimano Tourney twist shifter is intuitive for a new rider, and gives her access to seven gears for tackling all the neighborhood’s ups and downs. Best suited for girls ages 7 through 11—who should have no trouble mounting, dismounting, and handling the low-standover frame—this bike is the perfect transition from first singlespeed to big-kid bike. We only wish they made girls bikes this high-quality and cool when we were learning to ride.

―GREAT FIRST MOUNTAIN BIKE―

Trek precaliber 24.

Frame: Aluminum | Wheel Size: 24 in. | Gearing: 32t, SunRace MFM56I, 13-34, 8-speed | Tires: Bontrager XR1, wire bead, 27 tpi, 24 x 2.25 in. | Weight: 26.31 lb.

Trek Trek Precaliber 24

This 24-inch-wheeled bike is suited for most riders ages 8 to 12. It has a sturdy, light aluminum frame with a 45mm-travel suspension fork to smooth out the sidewalk and soak up small bumps on the trail. Yep, trail. This bike can handle some tame singletrack and dirt paths. The 8-speed Shimano drivetrain has a 32-tooth chainring up front and a 13-34 cassette, which offers a super-light range, is easy on little legs, and still provides enough gears that she can hold her own when you challenge her to a mother-daughter race to the park. Bonus: Along with those of most bikes on this list, the parts on the Precaliber 24 are replaceable, including the derailleur hanger.

—CRUISER FOR AGES 8 AND UP—

Public bikes c7 24”.

Frame: Steel | Wheel Size: 24 in. | Gearing: 7-speed | Tires: Not listed | Weight: Not listed

Public Bikes C7 24

The Public Bikes C7 is just plain adorable. It has a classic steel frame designed to let her comfortably sit upright for mellow rides through the neighborhood, and smooth tires more ideal for cruising pavement than dirt. Splashing through puddles can still be fun thanks to fenders that keep rain water off her backside. The 7-speed Shimano Tourney shifters make hills easier, especially with this heavier steel frame, and 24-inch wheels help her keep up with friends and family who have bigger bikes. Public offers three ways to receive your bike: unassembled and straight to your door at no charge, 99 percent assembled and direct to your door along with the tools to finish the job (starting at $149), and to one of its assembly partners near you who will have it ready to ride within 10 days (starting at $50). The C7 comes with a kickstand, if you should choose to use it, and is also available in seafoam and saffron. Looking for a little flair or an add-on gift for later?

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7 Best Girls Bikes: Read This BEFORE You Buy!

Shopping for a bike for your daughter or granddaughter? It can be difficult to know where to start.

There are a plethora of girls bikes on the market, and the bad news is that most of them are junk. Seriously. All those bikes at Walmart with the streamers and Disney princesses are heavy, cheaply made, and difficult to ride.

If you want your child to have a great experience riding bikes, pick a good girls bike instead. All of the bikes on this list are lightweight, durable, and intelligently designed to help girls learn to ride and continue developing their skills.

In this article, we’ll help you decide whether your daughter needs a balance bike or pedal bike, which girls bikes are best, which size bike your child needs, and things you should consider before buying a bike. And if your daughter REALLY need a Frozen themed bicycle, we have some solutions for that too…..

But First, Do You Need to Buy a “Girls” Bike?

Kids bikes are kids bikes are kids bikes…..Many bike brands market “girls bikes” or “boys bikes” but there is absolutely no difference for kids this age. If your daughter (or granddaughter) wants a “boys” bike, there is no reason she shouldn’t have it.

That said, there are plenty of girly girls out there (myself included) who want a GIRLY bike. They want a bike that is pink or purple. They want streamers or a basket or a doll baby bike seat. I get it.

For all the girls who like pink (like me), we’ve included a list of girly girls bikes for every age. We’ve also included a round-up of girls bike accessories, so if your daughter wants streamers or a basket, you can make sure she gets them.

Balance Bikes vs Pedal Bikes For Girls

We’ve tried to include every age group on this list (little girls AND big girls) alike. Therefore, you’ll notice a mix of balance bikes and pedal bikes.

If you have a 10-year-old, it’s obvious that they need a pedal bike. But this might not be so obvious for a 3-year-old for instance.

We STRONGLY recommend sticking with a balance bike (a “scoot” bike that doesn’t have pedals) until your daughter has mastered gliding and balance. Rather than buying a pedal bike with training wheels, we believe you should start your kiddo on a balance bike and only get them a pedal bike once they are truly ready.

For more information on why we don’t recommend training wheels, read this article: 7 Things You Need To Know About Training Wheels.

Criteria to Make The List

In order to be listed here, we considered a few things that we think are key for girls:

• Is the bike lightweight? Girls tend to be more petite and weigh less than their male counterparts. Bike weight is key to them having fun.
• Does it come in feminine colors? We know lots of girls that specifically want a pink or purple bike.
• Does it inspire confidence? We want girls to feel confident and empowered on a bike, not timid! Things like a low standover height, geometry that creates stability, and an upright riding position help inspire confidence.
• Is it safe? Durable? Fast? We don’t want you to waste your money on a bike that is going to fall apart quickly or cause your child to get hurt. The bikes on this list aren’t cheap, but they are high quality. If you have multiple kids, you’ll be able to hand them down.

The Best Girls Bike BRANDS

In general, the best way to shop for bikes for girls is by brand. Regardless of which size bike you need, these brands are well known for providing high-quality bikes that also happen to be pretty.

Woom Girls Bikes

Woom makes fantastic kids bikes. In fact, they are our FAVORITE kids bikes. And their gender-neutral colors make them a great choice for girls.

Why do we love Woom bikes so much? First off, they are incredibly lightweight. You won’t find another kids bike brand that makes lighter bikes. Considering the girls tend to be more petite and weigh less than their male counterparts, this is particularly important.

They also have a low standover height and upright geometry which helps inspire confidence–this is another area where girls often need a little help.

Woom offers all kinds of fun accessories to match their bikes, including helmets, gloves, and more.

Woom Girls Bikes Line Up

Prevelo girls bikes.

For a long time, Prevelo only offered silver bikes, but now they’ve added purple to the line-up too!

These bikes have everything we look for in a kids bike: dual handbrakes (with no coaster), high-quality components, lightweight build, and child-appropriate geometry. The company also offers superior customer service, which puts them on high on our list of bikes that we’re willing to recommend.

Like Woom, Prevelo also offers a trade-up program that can help make your initial investment a little less painful.

Prevelo Girls Bike Line Up

Cleary girls bikes.

Cleary makes our very favorite first pedal bike for the tiniest riders–the Cleary Gecko. This super small 12″ bike fit little girls as young as 2.5 years old.

Of course, if you are looking for an older girl, Cleary offers plenty of options as well. We like that their frames are made of high-quality steel (not aluminum) that are durable and will last for years.

The steel frames are powder coated with bright beautiful paint, and their saddles are faux-leather. All around, beautiful bikes.

Cleary Girls Bike Line-Up

Pello girls bikes.

All the Pello bikes are well suited for multi-terrain conditions. If your child wants to ride on pavement, dirt, gravel, gras, whatever–these bikes are a good choice.

All sizes have beefy brand-name Kenda tires, while the larger bikes come with disc brakes. Disc brakes are great for riding in wet or dirty conditions and provide far better stopping power than traditional v-brakes (rim brakes).

We also like the bright pink paint scheme that looks even better in person. We can also attest to its durability. Over several years of testing Pello Bikes, they’ve all held up spectacularly.

Pello Girls Bikes Line Up

Frog girls bikes.

Whatever your daughter’s favorite color, you are sure to find a Frog bike to suit. These beautiful little bikes come in a wide array of fun colors and designs.

Fortunately, these bikes don’t just look good, they are well designed also. Expect to find child-appropriate geometry, custom-made components, dual handbrakes, sealed bearings, and more.

Frog Girls Bike Line Up

Guardian girls bikes.

Guardian is known for making safe bikes. Thanks to their proprietary SureStop braking system, your child is less likely to have an over-the-handlebars accident. The system uses one brake lever to provide appropriate braking power to both the front and rear wheel.

We especially like this for timid girls and those that have struggled to learn to use brakes in the past. The other great thing about Guardian bikes is that they offer a durable bike with kid specific geometry at a more reasonable price.

Guardian Girls Bikes Line Up

Priority girls bikes.

Priority Bikes are ideal for parents who don’t want to spend a lot of time on bike maintenance. Rather than a traditional chain (which can rust), the Priority bikes have a belt drive (which won’t).

You don’t have to mess with lubing a chain, or even adjusting a derailleur. The 20″ and 24″ bikes come with an internally geared hub rather than a rear cassette and derailleur.

All of this means that these are great bikes for leaving outdoors on the school bike rack, riding in rain, or cruising at the beach.

Priority Girls Bikes Line Up

How to choose a girls bicycle.

Here are some tips on how to choose the best girls bicycle for your daughter (or granddaughter). We’ve also linked to more extensive guides if you want additional help.

Size Is Key

The first step when shopping for a bike is to figure out what size your child needs.  While we’ve included a general age-range for each size bike below, each child (and each bike) is a little different. 

The best way to determine which size bike your child needs is to measure their inseam and compare it to the minimum seat height of the specific bike you are considering.

• Learn More: Guide to Kids Bike Sizes

Pay Attention To Weight

The next thing to look for is the bike’s weight.  After making sure a bike is the right size for your child, the single most important thing is how much it weighs.  This is doubly important for girls who tend to be more petite and less muscular than boys in the same age range. 

Unfortunately, weight and price generally go hand-in-hand: the less a bike weighs, the more it costs.  For this reason, we recommend buying the lightest bike you can afford.

Training Wheels, Brakes, Gears, And Other Things You Should Consider

Other slightly less important things you will want to think about before buying a bike are whether or not you want training wheels , whether or not you want a coaster brake , and if your child is read for a bike with gears. 

We go into all these topics in more detail in our guide to choosing a kids bike.  

Customization

There are several brands on this list that allow you to further customize your child’s bike. Prevelo, for instance, lets you pick custom color grips and you can add your child’s name to the bike.

Woom isn’t quite as customizable, but they do have a ton of accessories you can add–bags, racks, etc–to make the bike extra special for your child. They also have matching gloves, helmets, jerseys, and more.

Girls Bike Accessories

These accessories are great to add even more fun to one of the bikes listed above OR to add a feminine touch to a less-than-girly bike. For even more accessory ideas, see our Ultimate Guide To Kids Bike Accessories.

Ride Along Dolly Doll Bike Seat

Little girls who have seen mommy biking with a baby seat will love having their own seat for their baby doll.  This one fits American Girls dolls–as well as pretty much any dolly or stuffed animal you can throw at it.

Mirrycle Incredibell

The Incredibell is one of our favorite bicycle bells for young children.  (My son could use it at 2 years old).  It makes a nice (not annoying) ring, and kids can watch the gears move inside the bell as they turn it.

Frozen Bike Accessories

We hear from so many parents that specifically want a Frozen themed bike for their kiddo. Well, you’re in luck. You don’t have to be a Frozen bike for your child to be happy. You can just add Frozen accessories. In addition to this basket and bell set, you can also find Frozen bike decals on Amazon.com

WINOMO Bike Streamers

Streamers are a cheap and easy way to add color to a bike.  Little kids also love them, and they make a great stocking stuffer or Easter basket filler.

Biria Basket

Woven bike baskets break easily, which is why we like this wire mesh basket instead. It comes in several fun colors, is easy to take on and off teh bike, and will last for years.

Wheel Lights

Kids love how these wheel lights look, and we like them because they help add visibility to your child’s bike. Anything you can do to add light and color to your kiddos bicycle will make them a little safer around traffic.

Girls Bike Picks By Size

If you already know which size bike your daughter needs, one of these girls bike by size guides will help you.

• 5 Best 16 Inch Girls Bikes
• 5 Best 20 Inch Girls Bikes

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions we get emailed frequently.

My daughter complains that her bike seat hurts. What can I do?

Replace it with a better one! You don’t have to buy a whole new bike, just swap out the saddle.

Our favorite for girls is the SDG Fly Jr saddle. You can get even more recommendations in our list of the best kids bike saddles .

How do I pick the right size bike for a girl?

The best way to measure a child for a bike is to measure their inseam. You can then compare this to the standover and minimum seatpost height of the bike (or bikes) you’re considering. For more help in doing this, read our guide to kids bike sizing .

What size bike should I buy a 7 year old girl?

The average 7 year old girl will fit best on a 20 inch or 24 inch bike. But remember, not all kids are average! Before shopping, read our guide to kids bike sizes .

What size bike should I buy a 9 year old girl?

A 9 year old girl will fit best on either a 24 inch or 26 inch bike depending on how tall she is. To measure your child, check out our guide to kids bike sizes .

What size bike should I buy a 10 year old girl?

Most 10 year old girls will fit best on a youth sized 26 inch bike. But remember, each child is different! Make sure to measure your daughter first. Read our guide to kids bike sizing for help.

More Reading To Help You Pick A Bike

• Best Kids Bikes: How To Choose, Reviews, & More!
• Ultimate Guide To Kids Bike Sizes (And Bike Size Chart!)

About The Authors

The Rascals are a family of three. Kristen (mom), Blair (dad), and Parker (kiddo). We started Rascal Rides when Parker was born and we didn’t want to give up our passion for biking. As we learned, we shared. Over the years, we’ve tested hundreds of kids bikes, helmets, bike trailers, and more.

Kristen is a USA Cycling certified coach and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie. Parker is our resident tester and inspiration.

If you see us out on the trail, make sure to say hi!

4 thoughts on “7 Best Girls Bikes: Read This BEFORE You Buy!”

We have that bell in purple! Even I love how you can see inside of it. And, streamers! What kid doesn’t love streamers on their bike? I’m all for girly bikes, so long as it means more girls/women on bikes.

What about Guardian Bikes?

I am a tall large woman with a long torso. Often bikes are too short front to back. My cannondale fits well that way but as I age I am less able to be stable while standing and need a curb to mount the bike. It’s really too big to stand over. Is it possible to use smaller wheels? I’m also looking at a 19” Schwinn that is a step thru. Will it be too short front to back?

Since you are tall, I wouldnt go with smaller wheels. Opt for a step-thru frame instead.

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The Best Girls Bikes for All Ages

Many girls bikes put too much emphasis on flashy decorations, while skimping on quality and performance – just walk through the bike aisle of any big-box store for proof. The best girls bikes prioritize a great riding experience over those flashy decorations.

After testing over 100 kids bikes with a wide range of testers, we’ve found great options for little girls bikes, older girls, and all types of riders – from neighborhood cruisers to school commuters. For a bike that will instill a passion for pedaling in your little girl, stick to the recos on this page, and stay out of Walmart.

In this article, we’ve selected a few of our favorite bikes for each wheel size. For a more in-depth list of all our top choices, be sure to check out our lists of favorite kids bikes by size .

Our Criteria

Great kids bikes are a combination of many different factors. While our kids bike buying guide breaks down what features we look for overall, for girls bikes we put a little more emphasis on some additional features.

COLOR AND DESIGN : While a girl can certainly ride any bike with any design or color, we understand that some kids want a bike with more traditional girl styling. Fun graphics and patterns are a plus in our book, especially on bikes for younger girls. Although we only provided the traditional girl colors in the descriptions below, many of these bikes also come in black, blue, or green.

LIGHTWEIGHT : On average, girls weigh less than boys, so finding a bike that is less than 40% of a child’s weight is even more of a challenge. Building a lightweight, quality bike is very expensive. As a result, in order to provide options at various price ranges, some bikes we selected are slightly heavier than we would like, but we believe they are the best option in their price range.

GEOMETRY : How upright or leaned in a child sits on a bike can greatly affect the comfort level and maneuverability of a bike. Traditional “girl bikes” position the rider in a more upright position, which is preferred by casual or more timid riders.

Aggressive riders prefer to be more leaned-in to help them really lean into and out of turns. As a result, for the larger 20″ and 24″ sizes, we provide options for timid riders who prefer to sit upright as well as aggressive riders who prefer to lean in.

FRAME DESIGN : Traditional girls bikes typically have step-through frames to allow for easier ons and offs. While step-through frames ARE easier to get on and off, they do not improve the overall performance of a bike. As a result, we did not give preference to bikes with step-through frames. Interestingly, all of the bikes on this list have gender-neutral diamond frames. The only difference is color!

The Best Girls Bikes by Size

Click to jump down to a wheel size:

• Girls 12 and 14 Inch : Ages 2 and 3
• Girls 16 Inch : Ages 4 and 5
• Girls 20 Inch : Ages 5 to 7
• Girls 24 Inch : Ages 7 to 10

12 and 14 Inch Girls Bikes

There is something unbelievably thrilling about watching your little one ride away on her first bike! 12″ and 14″ bikes are best for ages 2 to 4, for use with or without training wheels. If you are considering a little girls bike with training wheels, we highly recommend getting your daughter started out on a balance bike instead , like the Strider 14x listed below. They are an easier and much more natural way for a child to learn to ride a bike.

Want more options in all price-ranges? Check out our Best 12 and 14 Inch Bikes Article.

Guardian Bikes 14

MSRP :  $249 SEAT HEIGHT : 16″ – 21″ WEIGHT : 16 lb. TRAINING WHEELS:  Optional upgrade COLORS:  Pink, purple, teal FULL REVIEW :  Guardian 14″ Bike

At just $249, Guardian’s 14″ bike is an impressive bang for your buck. With great-quality components, very kid-friendly geometry, and adorable designs, Guardian always shocks us with what they can offer for such a reasonable price tag.

This smallest Guardian pedal bike benefits in a huge way from the proprietary SureStop braking system. A single lever on the right hand sequentially engages both the rear and front wheel brake pads. You get the power of dual handbrakes by pulling just one lever!

While we love SureStop on any size bike (like Mark Cuban did on Shark Tank!), its simplicity is particularly helpful to the littlest riders who are just learning to pedal. Less to worry about, less to think about, your little rider can gain confidence more quickly.

Strider 14x

Best Balance Bike/Pedal Bike in One

MSRP :  $209 SEAT HEIGHT : 15″ to 20″ WEIGHT : 12.5 lb. COLORS:  Pink, green, blue FULL REVIEW:  Strider 14x Convertible Balance Bike

You may have noticed that none of the girls bikes on our list have training wheels. That’s because if you’re looking for a 12” bike with training wheels, you really should be shopping for a balance bike instead!

The Strider 14x is a larger balance bike that’s a great fit for most 3 to 4 year olds. After your little one has mastered balancing, the transition to a pedal bike is incredibly smooth. As a bonus, the Strider 14x can convert to a small pedal bike to be used until your daughter is tall enough for a 16” pedal bike. It’s the ultimate toddler girl bike!

Best Overall

MSRP :  $399 SEAT HEIGHT : 16″ – 19″ WEIGHT : 12.3 lb. TRAINING WHEELS:  Not compatible COLORS:  Purple, red, light blue, orange, and lime green FULL REVIEW :  woom 2

Woom bikes are more expensive for a reason. They are truly exceptional in design and components, and are also the most lightweight bikes on the market! A lightweight bike makes it significantly easier for little ones to learn to ride a pedal bike. We’ve watched many kids struggle to learn to ride on other bikes, who then hop on a woom 2 and just take off!

16 Inch Girls Bikes

Kids ages 4 to 6 are typically the best fit for a 16″ bike. Whether your child is graduating from a balance bike or moving up from their first pedal bike, their 16″ bike needs to lightweight, easy to balance, and fun to ride! These bikes fit all three criteria and receive a seal of approval from our little miss testers.

See our Best 16 Inch Bikes article to view more of our favorite 16″ bikes.

Guardian 16

MSRP : $249 SEAT HEIGHT: 18.25″ – 22.6″ WEIGHT: 17.5 lb. TRAINING WHEELS:  Optional at purchase COLORS:  Pink, aqua, blue FULL REVIEW :  Guardian 16

The Guardian 16 is an exceptional bang for your buck. At this price point, you’re almost always stuck with a coaster brake (back pedal brake) on a 16″ bike. Not only does the Guardian 16 not have a coaster brake , but if features Guardian’s proprietary SureStop hand brake.

SureStop simplifies braking, which is particularly helpful for young riders. By pulling just one brake lever with the right hand, the v-brakes on the rear and then front wheels are activated for powerful, on-a-dime stopping. Knowing you can slow down or immediately stop with ease does wonders for a developing rider’s confidence.

Retrospec Koda 2 16″

Best on a Super Budget

MSRP :  $119, $149 for Plus model SEAT HEIGHT : 18.3″ to 23″ WEIGHT : 19.1 lb. COLORS:  Light pink, dark pink, blue/coral combo FULL REVIEW:  Retrospec Koda 2 Kids Bike Review

For families who just don’t want to spend more than $150 on a 16″ bike, the Retrospec Koda 2 is hands down the best option on the market. Most bikes this cheap are poorly designed and difficult to ride, but Retrospec did an impressive job for the price point. Significantly better than brands like Huffy, Kent, and even Schwinn, our kid testers loved riding this Retrospec Koda.

Keep in mind that at this price point, you’re going to have a coaster brake (back pedal brake), which is one of the main reasons we encourage parents to spend a bit more for a bike like the Guardian which has hand brakes instead. Coaster brakes make learning to ride harder, but certainly not impossible if your budget won’t allow it.

Priority Start 16

Belt Drive – Super Low Maintenance and Grease-Free

MSRP : $329 SEAT HEIGHT: 18.5″ – 23″ WEIGHT: 15.9 lb. TRAINING WHEELS:  Compatible, but not included COLORS:  White, Turquoise, Sky Blue, Charcoal FULL REVIEW :  Priority Start 16

With a lightweight frame, dual hand brakes, and no coaster brake , the Priority Start 16 is a wicked first girls bike for a very decent price.

Where Priority Bikes really shine is their belt drive, which replaces a traditional bike chain. This belt drive is grease-free, mess-free, rarely (if ever!) falls off, and is essentially maintenance-free.

MSRP : $449 SEAT HEIGHT: 19.1″ – 24.8″ WEIGHT: 13.1 lb. TRAINING WHEELS:  Not compatible COLORS:  Purple, yellow, red, light blue, orange, and lime green FULL REVIEW :  WOOM 3

The 16 inch woom 3 is a slightly larger version of the 14 inch woom 2. Both of these bikes are the ideal bikes for beginners and timid riders, depending on the child’s size.

With a frame geometry that keeps a child in a natural, upright position, and their weight centered over their hips like when walking, riding the woom 3 is as natural and effortless as it gets.

Btwin HYC 500

Honorable Mention Bang for Your Buck

MSRP : $149 SEAT HEIGHT: 19.5″ – 23.75″ WEIGHT: 20.6 lb. TRAINING WHEELS:  Sold separately COLORS:  Pink FULL REVIEW : Bwin 16 Inch Kids Bike

We love the Btwin 16 – not only because it’s a super adorable and pink-dreamy girls bicycle, but also because it’s really well-designed for the price. Frankly, most girls bikes in this price range are terrible. The Btwin may be heavier and more basic than other bikes we recommend, but it’s far easier to ride than anything you’ll find at a big-box store.

20 Inch Girls Bikes

Kids ages 6 to 7 are typically a good fit for 20 inch girls bikes. If you’re looking for an 18 inch girls bike, you most likely need to look in this 20 inch size range instead. 18 inch girls bikes are generally cheap and low-quality. 20 inch girls bikes are similar in size, but made by much better bike companies.

Moving up to a 20″ bike is a big step for all child riders. While weight and performance are still concerns, gears are now on the table. To gear or not to gear, that is the question on most parents’ minds! For the average child rider, gears are fun to have, but not necessary.

As a result, we placed a few of our favorite single-speed 20″ bikes on the list. These bikes are fun to ride and MUCH easier to maintain that a geared bike. For those who want or need gears, we’ve included the Priority Start, which is a great introduction to gears.

For more options, check out our Best 20 Inch Bikes article.

Retrospec Koda 2

Best Super Budget

MSRP : $179 SEAT HEIGHT:  21.5″ – 27.5″ WEIGHT:   23.7 lb. COLORS : Aqua and coral GEARS : Single-speed FULL REVIEW :   Retrospec Koda Plus 2

The team at Retrospec is hyper focused on offering better quality kids bikes for super low prices. The Retrospec Koda 2 Plus is cheaper than a Schwinn bike, but several pounds lighter and sized more appropriately for a 6 or 7 year old.

But what impresses us most about this bike is that it has good-quality dual handbrakes and NO coaster brake. For under $200, that’s basically unheard of!

Guardian 20 Small

Best Single Speed

MSRP : $289 SEAT HEIGHT:  21.3″ – 26.8″ WEIGHT:  20.7 lb. COLORS : Aqua and pink, black and red GEARS : Single-speed FULL REVIEW :   Guardian 20 Inch Review

Guardian’s SureStop braking system is a truly exceptional safety innovation. SureStop helps kids stop easier and faster, by packing the stopping power of rear and front brakes into a single brake lever! Not only is the Guardian 20 easy to brake, it’s a ton of fun. 

While some 20″ bikes have gears, the Guardian 20 small keeps things simple as a single speed bike. For most kids this age, gears are an unnecessary complexity that just makes a bike harder to maintain. 

REI Co-op Cycles REV 20

REI Guarantee and Service

MSRP : $299 SEAT HEIGHT:  21.9″ – 27″ WEIGHT:  22 lb. COLORS : Purple GEARS : Single-speed FULL REVIEW :   REI Co-op Cycles REV 20

REI Co-Op brand products have a strong reputation for offering solid quality at a more attainable price point. The REI REV 20 kids bike is durable, made with quality components, and comes with the peace of mind of the REI guarantee.

For a year after purchase, REI’s in-house bike shops will take care of any basic maintenance for free (but parts not included). And if you’re an REI member, they’ll fix your flats for free too… forever!

If you have a local REI, you can order online and choose to have it shipped to the store, where they will assemble it for you before you pick it up. While we don’t love the coaster brake, the REV 20 also has a single Tektro rear hand brake that is easy to pull and offers great stopping power.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE: Do not use these bikes with training wheels if purchased between 2022 and June 2024. The training wheels were faulty, which led to a recall by the CPSC .

Priority Start 20

Best Simplified Gearing

MSRP : $379 SEAT HEIGHT : 22″ – 28.5″ WEIGHT : 19.5 lb. COLORS : Purple, Turquoise Blue, Charcoal GEARS : 3-speed with an internally-geared hub (no derailleur!) FULL REVIEW :  Priority Start 20

If you think your little girl would benefit from having a geared bike, but you’re not sure she’s ready to tackle that challenge, the Priority Start 20 is for you!

With just three gears, the Priority Start is a perfectly simple introduction to the world of shifting. As an added bonus, Priority Bikes have internally geared hubs. These hubs are enclosed and much less likely to be damaged than the chain derailleurs found on most geared bikes.

24 Inch Girls Bikes

From riding around the neighborhood to longer family bike rides, a child’s 24″ bike can take them just about anywhere! These geared bikes are all suitable for miles of adventures and are also stylized to look a little “older” for kids ages 7 to 10.

For more options check out our Best 24 Inch Bikes for Kids article.

Retrospec Dart 24

Best on a Budget

MSRP:  $219 SEAT HEIGHT:  25.5″ – 29.8″ WEIGHT:   28.5 lb. COLORS : Pink and teal GEARS : 7-speed with grip shifter FULL REVIEW : Retrospec Dart

Cheap 24″ girls bikes are uniquely problematic. They usually are either a single-speed cruiser (which limits going fast or climbing hills), or have two derailleurs and two shifters (which makes the bike heavier, maintaining it much more difficult, and shifting more confusing).

The Retrospec Dart 24 has 7 speeds and just one derailleur; it’s an uncommon find at this price point, but a great combination for a kid rider.

Guardian 24

Innovative Braking System

MSRP:  $339 SEAT HEIGHT:  25″ – 33″ WEIGHT:   25.5 lbs. COLORS : Purple, Turquoise Blue, Black and Pink GEARS : 7-speed with grip shifter READ MORE:   Guardian Bikes 24 Review

One brake lever and maximum stopping power? Guardian’s SureStop braking system makes braking easier, and a ton of fun! Our girl bike testers love riding their Guardians to the limit and then braking full blast. Who knew a safety feature could actually make a bike more fun to ride?

As seen in the image above, the Guardian 24 has a wide range of great fit – the rider on the left is 49″ tall, and the rider on the right is 57″.

Priority Start 24

MSRP:  $449 SEAT HEIGHT:  27″ – 34.5″ WEIGHT:   23.3 lb. COLORS : Coral, light blue, charcoal GEARS : 3-speed with internally geared hub READ MORE:   Priority Start 24 Review

Kids are hard on their bikes and regular maintenance is a must! If you’re looking for a high-end bike that requires less maintenance, Priority is for you.

The chains and derailleurs on standard bikes require regular cleaning and can be damaged easily. The grease-free belt drive of a Priority Bicycle is basically maintenance-free. And with the gearing mechanism enclosed in a sturdy hub, your bike’s gearing system isn’t exposed to easy damage like with a derailleur.

MSRP:  $649 SEAT HEIGHT : 26.4″ – 32.3″ WEIGHT:  20.3 lbs. COLORS : Mint green, navy blue, red GEARS : 8-speed with grip shifter FULL REVIEW:   woom 5 Review

The lightest 24 inch girls bike on our list, the woom 5 is a consistent favorite with our bike testers. A light bike is significantly easier to maneuver, and requires less effort for the payoff.

With 7 gears and versatile, all-terrain tires, the woom 5 can handle neighborhoods just as well as it can basic dirt trails. If you have a budding bike enthusiast on your hands, the woom 5 will allow her to explore any terrain she chooses.

Accessorize with Girls Cycling Clothes

While wearing designated riding clothes certainly isn’t necessary to have fun on a bike, it definitely can be more fun to have special riding outfits. Check out the Littles collection from SHREDLY for 10% off high-quality and adorable girls’ riding clothes and accessories.

🌸 🌼 Fun *Bling* Bike Accessories 🌼🌸

A lot of bikes marketed towards girls have adorable combinations of streamers, baskets, and bells. While these accessories are cute, they aren’t worth buying a bike for. Most heavily “decorated” bikes are very poorly made and will likely cause an equally poor riding experience for your child.

Instead of buying a bike simply for the way it looks, why not buy an amazing bike and accessorize it? Better yet, if you happen to already have a bike, but it’s not quite what your daughter had in mind, blinging it out can help give it a new life!

That’s exactly what we did with one of our green 16″ bikes that was on its way to a young girl in need of a bike. Her mom said she wanted a pretty bike and green wasn’t exactly her favorite color. With a few accessories onboard, the “boring green” bike became a green beauty! We’ve got plenty of ideas for accessorizing any kids bike , girls bike, and even balance bikes.

If you’re specifically looking for baskets, check out our list of 11 Best Kids Bike baskets .

“BORING GREEN” BIKE BEFORE :

“FUN BIKE” AFTER :

Here’s what we added to the bike:

HANDLEBAR STREAMERS : Pinwheel Streamers by DRBIKE,  $10 – These streamers attached by inserting a long plastic plug through the end cap of the bike’s grips. If your bike’s grip ends are solid, the DrBike streamers won’t work, but these Windmill Streamers  will!

PINWHEEL : Spinning Flower Pinwheel  by Ride Along Dolly, $8

WHEEL SPOKE BEADS : Bike Wheel Flower Spokies  by Ride Along Dolly, $8 and Wheel Spoke Luminous Beads  by Kloud City, $6

BASKET : Emoji Basket  by Biria, $17.50

FLOWER BELL (not shown in picture): Flower Bell , $10. For other great options for kids bikes bells, check our the list of our 9 favorites !

About The Author

Natalie Martins

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Kids Trail 24

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With its lightweight alloy frame, 24" wheels and smooth suspension fork, the Trail 24 built for smooth speed and adventure, on or off-road.

What it's built for

Confident riders who are ready to up the speed and build their off-road skill.Kids 4'1"-4'6" (124cm-137cm)

• Durable lightweight alloy frame, because a light bike is easier to handle and more fun to ride.
• Bump-smoothing front suspension 50mm fork
• Wide range 8-speed gearing with light-action trigger shifter made for smaller hands
• 24" alloy rims with fast-rolling knobby tires that are grippy and in control

Buying a Cannondale kids bike

Sized right.

24" wheels offer the a great blend of speed, handling, and proper fit for riders between 4'1 and 4'6" (124cm - 137cm).

Easy Shifting

Light action trigger shifters and wide-range 8-speed gearing make it easy to select the right gear for the terrain.

Kid-Correct Features

Kid-Correct Weight

Is no more than 30 to 40-percent of a child’s weight, because a light bike is easier and more fun to ride.

Kid-Correct Standover

Makes it easier for kids to get on and off the bike.

Kid-Correct Reach

Keeps kids in comfortable control of the bike.

Kid-Correct Gearing

Lower gearing and shorter crankarms are right for shorter, less powerful legs, with a narrower Q-Factor (width) for a more natural stance. All this makes it easier for kids to get moving and to stay moving.

Kid-Correct Parts

Sized to fit kids’ anatomies, with smaller handlebars and grips, kid-specific seats and pedals sized for kids’ feet. Hand brakes are paired with coaster brakes on single speed bikes so kids can build the skills they will need for their next bike.

Kid-Correct Colors

Bright, fresh and eye-catching, because for kids, a fun bike is one that looks great.

• Platform Kids Trail 7 to 12
• Model Name Kids Trail 24
• Model Code C51602U
• Frame SmartForm C3 Alloy, rim brakes, rack/fender mounts
• Fork SunTour XCT-JR 24, 50mm travel, 1-1/8" steerer, coil, w/ canti mounts
• Headset FSA, Alloy, 1-1/8"
• Rear Derailleur microSHIFT M21S
• Shifters microSHIFT, 8-speed trigger shifter
• Chain KMC Z8.1, 8-speed
• Crank Prowheel, Pro-V30, 145mm length, 30T
• Rear Cogs Sunrace, wide range 12-32, 8-speed
• Bottom Bracket Cartridge, square taper
• Brakes Promax V-Brake
• Brake Levers Alloy, linear pull
• Rims Cannondale, lightweight alloy, 24", 28h
• Spokes Steel, 14g Black
• Tire Size 1.95
• Wheel Size 24
• Hubs (F) Sealed Alloy , QR / (R) Sealed Alloy , QR, 8-speed freehub
• Tires Kenda Small Block 8, 24x1.95"
• Handlebar Lightweight Alloy, 25.4mm, 580mm
• Stem Forged and machined aluminum, 30mm w/ fitted stem cover
• Grips Cannondale Kid's Comfort
• Saddle Cannondale Kid's Comfort
• Seatpost One-piece, clamp-less, Alloy, 25.4mm

Please note that, based on component availability and other factors, specifications are subject to change without notice.

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Specifications, certifications, rear derailleur, front derailleur, bottom bracket, brake levers, rim material, rim outer width, rim inner width, nipple type, wheel weight, dish offset, effective rim diameter, maximum spoke tension, max tire pressure, rider weight limit, spoke count, spoke length (nds-ds), tire casing, tire protection, connectivity, wheel sensor, power meter, speed sensor, tire sidewalls.

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Revere Kids 24" Girls 7-Speed Cruiser Children's Bicycle for Ages 7-11 Years Old. Lightweight Aluminum Frame and Fork, Easy to Ride! (Pink/Cyan)

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

• Kids - they grow up so fast! But what to do when choosing one of their first bikes that will surely last only a finite period in their lives? Brave Bicycles was started on the fundamental idea that while no parent wants to sacrifice quality or safety in a child's bike, they also deserve to pay a price that feels comfortable knowing the product will be outgrown.
• Our bikes have all the features you demand in a premium product, but our unique position in the market allows us to leave out the premium price!
• As your young cyclist grows, so will his cycling ambitions! When the neighborhood is no longer enough, the Brave Luna 7 is ready to ride where your child has never ridden before. From paved paths to gravel trails, the Luna 24's high-volume, smooth-tread tires are perfect for your first longer rides together as you explore the local frontier. This bike is perfect for learning how to use gears and brakes.
• Supalite Aluminum frame and fork - For easy pedaling and maneuverability. COG Optimized Geometry - COG stands for Center Of Gravity. Brave Bicycles keep it low for better balance and to make it easier to get on and off the bike. Adjustable handbrake levers for safe and confident stopping powers for hands of all sizes. Coaster foot brake and hand brake allows the rider to gradually adjust from his previous coaster-brake-only bike.
• We are a USA based company, the bikes were designed and engineered in the USA. Lifetime warranty on frame not to crack or bend.

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Welcome to the Revere Bicycles family! Here at Revere, a bike company founded by a father and son duo, we believe biking should be fun, easy, and approachable – if you love anything bike-related, you’ll fit right in. We’re here to help you enjoy every part of your adventure!

If you have any questions at all, just reach out. Our Howell, New Jersey-based team is ready to assist you at the drop of a hat (or helmet). Keep riding!

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You'll make some of your fondest memories on your bike. At Revere, we think you should never be without reliable, easy-to-use gear, and a clean, well-maintained bike lasts longer and rides safer.

Revere helps you make your bike adventures last for years to come. Thank you for taking us along on your journey!

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Cadence Cycle Sports

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One Year of Africa in Pictures – Tips for Travel Photography Part II

by Heike Pirngruber | Jun 12, 2020 | Africa , Blog , Gambia , Ghana , Guinea , Morocco , Photography , Sierra Leone

The second part (click here for part 1) of my photo series "One year of Africa in pictures". Again, I will give you the technical data of the photos, as well as little stories about how the pictures were taken and how to get better results for your own photos. I took...

A year of Africa in pictures – with tips on photography Part 1

by Heike Pirngruber | Jan 5, 2020 | Africa , Blog , Mauritania , Morocco , Photography , Senegal , Western Sahara

A review of the year in pictures.   Before continuing with the reports about my experiences in Africa, I would like to present some of my most beautiful visual moments of the past 365 days in Africa. For interested photographers, there is also the information...

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For Issue 11, we head to Iceland with two contributors and photographers, plus share a handful of brilliant adventures from Mexico, Spain, the Republic of Georgia, and riders' own backyards...

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Bikes and Builders of MADE 2024 (Part 1)

By Paul Kalifatidi

Guest Contributor

@paul.kalifatidi

The 2024 MADE Bike Show took place in Portland, Oregon, over the weekend, where some 200 builders and brands had their incredible work on display for crowds of onlookers. We sent photographer Paul Kalifatidi to the event to search out this year’s most interesting bikes and other bits. Explore his first roundup with additional finds from beyond the show by Tyler Dawson here…

PUBLISHED Aug 27, 2024

With additional words and photos by Tyler Dawson

Over the weekend, the MADE handmade bike show returned to Zidell Yards in Portland, Oregon, for its second edition. It drew an eclectic mix of the most talented framebuilders and makers from across the United States and beyond. Last year, MADE was a new event. It was hot, it was dark, and it was everything I hoped it would be—a culmination of beautiful minds and human-powered machines. This year, it was bigger, brighter, and more refined.

Along with a massive crowd of attendees, I spent several days wandering around the show grounds, chatting with builders, meeting new people from around the bike world, and seeking out the most interesting handmade bikes and products. My first roundup includes a selection from Rare Earth, Chumba, Mostly Forever, Doom Bars, Goodday Bikes + Curiosity Bags, Mosaic, Mone, and several other talented folks. See them all below, and stay tuned for more later this week!

Mosaic link

Boulder, colorado.

One of the first bikes that caught my eye was the Mosaic GT-1x in this stunning green-to-raw fade finish. Fully decked in JPaks bags with a fly patch to match, it’s ready for speedy single-trout-tracking. To make sure its pilot arrives in time for the hatch, it’s rolling on ENVE SESE 4.5s. The external cable routing for hassle-free de-hassling is a welcome touch on a premium frameset. Another well-thought-out detail is the “eye-patch” and 3D-printed spacer that shields the headtube badge from wear. Overall, this bike is a stunning example from one of the more prominent staple brands in the domestic frame-building world.

Rare Earth link

River falls, wisconsin.

Many friends told me I had to visit a fellow Wisconsinite, Brian, of Rare Earth Cycle. He had two bikes on display, featuring twin top tubes (two bikes and four top tubes for those keeping track). His hardtail received lots of love, but the endurance-performance gravel bike stood out. It’s the kind of bike I yearn for in my shed: a comfortable bike with the pace of a race bike.

Brian built this for the Japanese Odyssey race. The cerakote finish was inspired by Japanese patterns and features bronze leaves in various places. Thin stays and a light tube set offer compliance, while relatively narrow tire clearance (42mm max, maybe) hint at this bike’s fast and efficient nature. A higher stack makes the entire cockpit more usable throughout a long ride. These Deda Gera handlebars have a fair amount of backsweep to allow a more natural wrist angle when riding on the tops. I’d certainly like to try them.

Brian’s design background is in footwear, furniture, and blacksmithing. His inspiration to get into building bikes is that he wanted to have control of the entire manufacturing process —something that his other work didn’t allow—while building the machines he found most alluring. The demands of bikepacking heavily influence Brian’s designs. He has completed the Great Divide and the Baja Divide on bikes of his own craft. When I asked about a particularly memorable bikepacking experience, he told me how heinous the Baja Divide is. “You’re somehow going into a headwind up loose sandy roads. It’s the worst riding conditions you can possibly have, but you’re still having the greatest time of your life.”

If you’re looking for an incredibly unique-looking bikepacking rig that still retains double diamond functionality, check out Rare Earth Cycle.

Apogee link

West coast, usa.

I met the crew at Apogee at last year’s show when they were still under the Albatross brand. Since then, they’ve refined their suspension module (now named the Free-Float Module, highlighting the floating nature of the shock) and slid the full-suspension project under the Apogee brand. The suspension system has become notably more compact while also adding some refinement to the kinematics that make it more linear and reduce pedal bob while seated.

I’m excited to see how these ride on trail given how efficient it felt riding one of their bikes around the parking lot. In the chunk, they should maintain plenty of composure thanks to the low center of gravity afforded by the clever packaging of the Free-Float Module. This attention to weight distribution was also a point made by Erik Fenner of Old Man Mountain Racks when lauding the advantages of a rack and side bags over a seat bag. This bike was finished with a giant Rockgeist frame bag with Swift Industries Gemini cargo packs. On a bike designed to move through rough terrain, getting the weight as low as possible makes a huge difference for stability and agility. The Apogee One is an incredibly exciting bike.

Announced at the show, Apogee opened their books for the first 25 customers. Those interested can currently purchase one of the Founder’s Edition bikes in a frameset or complete build.

Meeting People and Personalities

Tyler: As a hardcore cycling enthusiast and passionate admirer of bike culture, photographing MADE was an opportunity to immerse myself deeply in a world I love. Experiencing the event for the first time was surreal, and I was truly awestruck to be among so many legends and familiar faces from the cycling community.

From geeking out over bikes with Ronnie Romance himself, to witnessing Tom Ritchey casually brazing a set of handlebars like it was no big deal, to bombarding Mr. Paul Component with questions about his unique vintage brake levers—MADE was like a candy store, and I was the kid with an insatiable sweet tooth.

As a relative newbie to the whole world of bikepacking, it was both humbling and inspiring to be amid so many badass humans. Picking a favorite moment is impossible. The whole thing was a dream. But, if I had to choose, I’d say the Barbaquas BBQ bike from Prandus Bicycle Company stole my heart. 

Doom Bars link

Albuquerque, new mexico.

Doom Bars, based out of the fiery inferno of Albuquerque, are bent and built by Keaton Haire. With many different shapes to choose from, MADE was a great place to let people try them out. I have had a particular curiosity in the Bikepacker’s Delight, a not-too-alternative bar that works great on a long tour or shreddy afternoon.

Featuring a 19-degree backsweep, 38 mm of rise, plenty of stem clamp area for accessories, and 875mm of trimmable width, these bars are adaptable to just about any flat-bar bike. Doom and Mone Bikes also had their collaboration bar on display, the Doomone. This high-riser bar would be a shoe-in for a klunker or for those wanting a different hand position on a mountain bike.

Goodday Bikes + Curiosity Bags link

Gunnison, colorado.

MADE brings so many framebuilders under one roof, which is also an important aspect of these framebuilders’ businesses. At Goodday Bikes + Curiosity Bags of Gunnison, Colorado, tubes, tires, and textiles roll in one door, and a complete bike with integrated bags rolls out the other.

Chris Besnia and Arly Landry are the minds behind this beautiful contraption. Chris began building bikes because he liked the old Schwinn-style frames but couldn’t afford a Retrotec. Being unable to find a bike that fit him as he wanted also motivated him to start building. Arly had a similar take on why she began sewing bags: there wasn’t a bag maker whose aesthetic perfectly matched the bike Chris had made her. She sewed one herself, which was the start of their partnership to create complete bikepacking rigs.

Designing their bikes with a holistic idea of how the customer will use the bike is an essential aspect of their process. Nobody perfectly fits the small, medium, and large dimensions that production bikes are built around; Chris and Arly believe everyone should have the experience of riding their perfect bike, designed with their body, use case, and desires in mind. A highlight of their time making bikes is how many customers have cried joyfully when receiving their personalized creations.

Chumba link

Austin, texas.

Chumba was out in force at this year’s show, with bikes at many booths, including their own. They teased their new model, the Cenote, a speedy bike designed around 40mm of fork travel and 50mm tire clearance. Named after the water-filled sinkholes of Texas, this bike will round out their gravel and all-road offerings. Also being teased is a longer stem from Industry Nine designed for drop-bar bikes.

If longer travel is more your thing, they also changed their Yaupon. Now featuring a 3D-printed chainstay yoke made in Texas, it sports better tire and chainring clearance and a new M/L size. This model is quite intriguing as it comes in two different tube sets. The oversized, double-butted tubeset prioritizes strength and durability, while an optional Velospec heat-treated (USA-made) tubeset is more race-focused by being lighter and more compliant. This attention to detail makes Chumba a compelling brand in the performance bikepacking market.

Chumba even displayed a charity bike, their Terlingua, which lived at the Rolf Prima booth. Clad in Paul Components, White Industries, Astral Wheels, and a color-matched Old Man Mountain rack, the raffle is live on their site, and you can enter until September 16th.

Swift + Treehouse Cyclery Ride

Tyler: By Sunday, after two whirlwind days, we were itching to stretch our legs and enjoy some fresh air before diving back into the final day of Made. The sun had been playing hard-to-get since we arrived on Thursday night, so when we flung open the curtains to a gloriously sunny Sunday morning, it felt like a personal gift from the weather gods.

As luck would have it, Swift Industries and Treehouse Cyclery were hosting a group ride, and we couldn’t resist joining the fun. We met at Coava Coffee, and let me tell you, the turnout was massive—80+ riders, all buzzing with anticipation and caffeine. After fueling up, the whole crew saddled up and hit the road. The energy was electric, and the group seemed to grow with every block as we cruised down the east side of the Willamette River and looped back around and up to the venue.

Huge shoutout to Beija Flor of Swift Industries and Alyssa Gonzalez of Treehouse Cyclery for organizing and leading the ride. It was hands down one of the highlights of the weekend—nothing like a community ride to remind you why we love this bike life!

Significant Other link

Front range, colorado.

Ashley King of Significant Other Bikes had this wonderfully anodized bikepacking-focused hardtail on display at the Wolf Tooth stand. So many makers, like Ashley, designed their bikes with racks and gear in mind. I would be curious to know if consumers prefer a bespoke carrying solution or a more standard—and therefore more flexible—option?

She started framebuilding with fixies inspired by NYC street cycling. Now based in Colorado, she still makes fixes but with greater tire clearance for tracklocross and gravel riding. If that’s your thing, she offers her Supersmash frameset in steel ($2,500) or titanium ($3,250). Want a full custom bike like this hardtail? She offers that, too. This bike has the tire clearance to have a date with whatever muddy route your burning heart desires.

Chico, California

BTCHN Bikes always brings a stunner to the show. My favorite bike from last year was present and covered in dust. This year, they brought a significantly more complicated contraption. Using a heavily modified dropper post that retracts when you push the custom Paul Components lever, the bike’s seat tube angle changes about 10 degrees, from 73 to 83 degrees, which makes me incredibly curious to ride it. The ability to change geometry on the fly makes sense in Chico. Rolling but punchy hills mean a steep seat is ideal for climbing and a slack seat tube aids in comfortable descending. With no wheelbase or steering geometry change, the bike’s handling remains consistent anywhere within the infinite adjustment range.

After seeing an Albatross hardtail at last year’s show, builder Tyler was intrigued by the idea of decoupling the seatstays and seattube. That Albatross hardtail had seatstays that met the downtube, which freed up the seattube for sick tricks. As Tyler says, framebuilders are solitary creatures who don’t often see each other, so events like this are vital for the survival of their species and evolution of their designs. Displayed next to the gravel bike we saw last year, it was cool to see the range in design capability that BTCHN is capable of.

Swift Industries link

Seattle, washington.

To nobody’s surprise, Swift had lots of bags on lots of bikes at the show. My favorite ended up being this modified Rivendell Susie Longbolts with a disc brake conversion. Back home, I have a repaired Baphomet Hardtail that’s fully rusted where we re-brazed sections. I have a soft spot for bikes with their intentions on their tubes. This Rivendell owned by Swift’s employee, Weston, is the one all of us in the PNW want. When a normal ride is a couple thousand feet of wet descending, rim brakes just don’t cut it.

Shows like MADE are equally a place for brands to display what they’re offering and for consumers to discuss the products they want. I know it’s sacrilege that this bike exists, but I love it and I want it. Swift is also coming out with the bag in the basket soon. I can’t give you all the details, but know that Weston had to remove the prototype and put a newer pre-produciton sample on the bike for photos. That took two seconds and the securing mechanism is simple. Compared to their Sugarloaf, this looks like a more casual, everyday kind of bag.

Mostly Forever link

Bend, oregon.

Last year, we featured builder Maxwell Keegan’s unpainted and perfectly rusted Oregon Timber Trail bike. For this show, he decided to paint his bike but kept the brown aesthetic rolling. The simple brown bike was a breath of fresh air in a venue filled with anodizing of every color imaginable and paint lines more intricate than the internals of the BTCHN dropper post top tube. This bike is as practical and capable as they come. It featured his own titanium handlebars and bar bag cradle prototype. The cradle is designed to house a Wolf Tooth Encase tool. There will be a final model available on his website soon. The semi-integrated rear rack is for bikepacking and is easily removed for day rides.

On Saturday, I showed up to Zidell yards a bit early. Most exhibitors were just filing in or getting as many Zs as possible at their hotels. Max? He was hitting the klunker course on his BMX. If fun is your thing, you should look at Mostly Forever. He says his favorite part of building bikes is having fun riding them, and I completely believe him. The name Mostly Forever comes from how long he had been wanting to make bikes, and one day he just decided to start. Max, I hope you keep making bikes, mostly forever.

Coffee Outside Portland

Tyler: There’s no better way to dive into the local cycling scene than by hitting up the weekly Coffee Outside, where a bunch of local riders gather to sip their favorite brews and bond over bikes. This weekend, we dragged ourselves out of bed early, shook off the sleep, and cruised down to Willamette Park to join the Portland Coffee Outside crew.

The turnout was awesome—a delightful mix of locals and out-of-towners, all united by their love for cycling. I can’t think of a more welcoming community. The moment I rolled up, it felt like I was right at home. We saw some killer bikes, met some amazing folks, and even got to pet a pup. Seriously, what more could you ask for?

Sanitas link

Durango, colorado.

On initial inspection, this Sanitas looks like a titanium full-suspension bike. Get closer, and it becomes clear that this is far more interesting than that. Many soft tails suffer from a lack of damping, which leads to a bouncy ride feel. Sanitas solves this by building a shock-driven single pivot but without the pivot. Instead, they rely on titanium’s “infinite” fatigue life to provide 70mm of tuneable, efficient flex.

The Sanitas brand has a long history with their knowledge in titanium craftsmanship. The brand was partly started by the founder of Dean bikes. The intentional use of its properties evidences this deep understanding of the space-like frame material. Efficient and lightweight, this bike sounds like a very desirable bikepacking rig.

Mone Bikes link

Silver city, new mexico.

One of the more amusing parts of the show was hearing a distant train horn echo throughout Zidell Yards. The culprit: Cjell of Moné bikes. Throughout the show, Cjell would give an excellent toot to entertain the crowd. Last year, he brought an intricately brazed full-suspension. This year, he brought far simpler bikes: a fixie, a klunker, and a children’s strider.

Cjell loves coaster brakes, to the point that he designed his own coaster cooler for sustained descents. This klunker featured his collaboration with Doom Bars, Chris King, his own stem, and iconic Moné touches like brass nipples and seatpost collar. The strider kids bike was, as all striders should be, specced with Paul Components parts and Vans tires. Both bikes were finished in his iconic “Turbo Midnight” to display the quintessential brass fillets of the Moné brand.

Chris King Buzz

Tyler: Thursday evening kicked off with a bang for makers and industry folks as we gathered for a chill “get to know each other” ride that set the tone for the excitement ahead. Starting from Zidell Yards, the crew pedaled through Portland’s endlessly charming neighborhoods, climbed up through Forest Park, and then coasted down to the Chris King headquarters.

Once there, we were greeted with a live band, Cajun food from Cajan Papa’s, and a special brew—a collaboration between Block15 Brewing Co. and Chris King—aptly called Buzzworks Northwest Pilsner. It was the perfect drink for the occasion, catching up with old friends and making new ones, all set against the backdrop of the legendary machine shop. The energy of the evening was contagious, and it was a perfect start to what promised to be an unforgettable weekend.

Ombraz link

Bellevue, washington.

And lastly, something that’s very exciting for those of us who are Ombraz obsessed. For some context, I’ve been wearing prescription Ombraz for the last three years. I’ve found them to be revolutionary. Unlike the traditional glasses I wore before, I haven’t broken or lost them. I have even been in a car crash, leaving me with a small cut where the glasses cut into my face after I bounced my head off the steering wheel. The glasses were undamaged (Ombraz, 1… face, 0).

One problem I have had is that they can get dirty due to how they sit pretty close to the bridge of my nose, which is why I was quite excited to find them at MADE with some new products to fix this. Hanging out in the sun were new side shields for various models, an excitingly speedy-looking upcoming model dubbed the Rifugio, and a Nose Rider to alter the fit of your shades. The Nose Riser should help with how close the glasses sit while aiding in ventilation. It will also allow folks with very shallow nose bridges (commonly called “Asian Fit” by big glasses) to customize the fit.

These 3D-printed parts are made in the same facility that produces the futuristic honeycomb saddles we’ve started to see from increasingly more brands. Again, the inspiration and collaboration between vendors at events like these are why they are so important. I was stoked to meet the crew behind Ombraz, as their product is one of my favorite things to use daily. The Rifugios are set to launch next spring.

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Ukraine war latest: Putin planning visit to member country of court seeking his arrest

Vladimir Putin will visit Mongolia next week, the Kremlin has announced. The country is a member of the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president last year for the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of children.

Friday 30 August 2024 08:15, UK

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• Putin to visit International Criminal Court member Mongolia next week
• Kyiv keeping close eye on Belarus border as troops amass  
• Ukraine heading 'closer and closer' to total blackout
• Battlefield situation: Latest frontlines in maps
• Watch: Who are Ukraine's secret resistance?
• Your questions answered: Strategic consequences for Ukraine if Pokrovsk falls
• Reporting by Mark Wyatt

Hungary does not want to send more weapons to Ukraine and risk "an escalation of the war", the country's foreign minister says.

Peter Szijjarto attended an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers yesterday, where Ukraine's Dmytro Kuleba repeated his requests to lift restrictions over Kyiv's use of Western weapons on military targets in Russia.

His pleas were echoed by the EU's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.

"We do not want more weapons in Ukraine, we do not want more deaths, we do not want an escalation of the war," Mr Szijjarto said in response.

"Today, we continue to stand for common sense and peace," he added. "The dangerous run of the chief foreign affairs minister must be stopped."

For context: Hungary has long been considered as the most Kremlin-friendly country in the EU.

Budapest has repeatedly obstructed sanctions against Russia and military aid to Kyiv. 

Mr Szijjarto has also visited Russia at least six times since the outbreak of the full-scale war in February 2022.

Authorities in the Russian region of Kursk are creating groups of armed volunteers to ensure "law and order", its governor has said.

Ukraine invaded the region on 6 August and has captured around 500 square miles of territory and 100 settlements, according to Kyiv's military.

The new Kursk detachments will act in cooperation with the army and receiving training and weapons, acting governor Alexy Smirnov said.

Their primary task will be to ensure security in the areas of the region that have been evacuated due to advancing Ukrainian troops.

Mr Smirnov said the contracts for those that sign up will last for six months.

Ukraine says it has shot down 12 out of 18 Russian drones launched into the country during an overnight attack.

Kyiv's air force said on Telegram that Russia also used an Iskander-M ballistic missile during the attack, fired from Crimea.

Four of the drones used by Russia were lost and fell independently.

At least three people were injured yesterday in a Russian "double-tap" attack in the northeastern Sumy region of Ukraine, according to officials.

According to the region's military administration, a 38-year-old man was injured after a Russian drone strike in Seredyna-Buda.

While emergency services were on the scene, the site was hit by a second strike, injuring a police officer and a 57-year-old civilian, the report added.

The situation in the Sumy region has become more tense since the start of Ukraine's invasion into Russia's Kursk region, which borders Sumy.

Vladimir Putin plans to visit Mongolia next week, the Kremlin has announced.

Mongolia is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president in March 2023 for the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of children.

Mr Putin will visit the country "at the invitation Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh", the Kremlin said.

It will be his first visit to an ICC member country that has ratified the Rome Statute - an agreement that calls on all members to arrest Mr Putin if he enters their territory.

The ICC does not have any enforcement mechanism, while the Kremlin has repeatedly said it does not recognise its jurisdiction.

The leaders will celebrate the 85th anniversary of the Battles of Khalknin Gol, in which Soviet and Mongolian forces jointly defeated Japanese troops.

For context: Mongolia has refrained from supporting Russia's war in Ukraine but has not condemned it at the United Nations.

The country also has a large economic dependence on Russian fuel.

Welcome back to our coverage of the Ukraine-Russia war.

Yesterday, the situation grew more intense in the key Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, where Kyiv's top commander says fighting is "exceptionally tough".

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not forgive Russia "for a single destroyed Ukrainian life" as the country marked the Day of Remembrance of Defenders of Ukraine.

And earlier in the day, a US defence official said that an F-16 fighter jet donated to Ukraine was destroyed in a crash on Monday that killed the pilot. The cause has not yet been determined.

Here are the other key lines from the past 24 hours: 

• A fighter jet from Belarus attempted to shoot down a Russian drone that flew into the country's airspace this morning;
• Russia's huge air attacks across Ukraine this week cost Moscow more than £1bn, the UK representative to the UN said;
• Ukraine said it was keeping a close eye on its border with Belarus after a build-up of troops there in recent days.

We'll be back with more updates and analysis tomorrow, but before we go, here's a recap of the key developments that took place today:

• Ukrainian shelling in Russia's Belgorod region killed one person and injured others, according to officials;
• Ukraine said it was keeping a close eye on its border with Belarus after a build-up of troops there in recent days;
• Ukraine's top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said fighting in Pokrovsk is "exceptionally tough";
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not forgive Russia "for a single destroyed Ukrainian life" as the country marked the Day of Remembrance of Defenders of Ukraine.

A military court in Moscow has placed Pavel Popov, a former deputy defence minister, in detention on suspicion of fraud in the latest of a string of corruption probes of officials tied to ex-defence minister Sergei Shoigu.

The case against Popov, who has served in his role since 2013, is the third investigation into a senior defence official relating to construction work at Patriot Park - a military theme park near Moscow.

The war-themed tourist attraction near Moscow displays a vast collection of Russian and Soviet weaponry and offers visitors the chance to clamber on tanks and take part in combat simulations.

Investigators said Popov, beginning in 2021, had diverted various building materials from the park to his own country house for installation work.

Popov has been detained until 29 October.

He denies guilt, his lawyer told the RIA state news agency.

Popov joins at least a dozen officials who, since April, have been caught up in the biggest wave of corruption scandals to hit the Russian military and defence establishment in years.

In May, soon after the first arrests, Vladimir Putin unexpectedly removed Mr Shoigu as defence minister and replaced him with Andrei Belousov in what was widely seen as a move to ensure tighter management of Russia's vast defence budget.

Russian political commentators said the investigation into Popov was clearly linked to a broader anti-graft crackdown undertaken by Belousov against those with ties to Mr Shoigu.

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet was destroyed in a crash on Monday, a US defence official has said.

According to the official, the cause has not yet been determined - pilot error or mechanical failure.

It comes after Russia staged a missile and drone attack on Ukraine on Monday.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that F-16 jets were used to repel the attack on Monday and showed good results.

He had announced earlier this month that Ukraine had started flying F-16s for operations within the country, confirming the long-awaited arrival of the US-made fighter jets which Ukraine has been pushing for since the start of the war.

Four nuclear power units at two different power plants in Ukraine were disconnected from the grid during the Russian attack on Monday, Ukraine's presidential office head, Andriy Yermak, reports.

In a statement on Telegram , Mr Yermak said power units at Rivne NPP, in northwest Ukraine, and South Ukrainian NPP in the south, had been disconnected.

What happened on Monday?

Russian forces unleashed 236 drones and missiles in a massive attack on Ukraine. 

Seven people were killed and 15 regions were struck, with explosions heard in the capital, Kyiv. 

Ukraine said hypersonic missiles were used in the assault.

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How a gay beach oasis flourished in Michigan’s Bible Belt

Gay artists, club owners and nude bathers have found a safe haven in saugatuck and douglas since the 1890s..

Key takeaways

Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed.

• Saugatuck and Douglas became known as the “Fire Island of the Midwest.”
• LGBTQ+ history in the area dates back to late 19th century.
• The Dunes Resort is a major gay attraction.

SAUGATUCK AND DOUGLAS, Mich. — Jeff West was looking for a change of pace. After decades of running clubs and restaurants in West Hollywood, he left California in search of peace and quiet. He had been to Laguna Beach and Palm Springs, but a new gay-friendly destination was calling to him: twin vacation towns on Lake Michigan with a population of less than 2,500 people.

“I arrived in the winter, and I was so amazed by it,” said West, 67, who grew up in Texas and spent his life in Southern California. “Seeing snow was just so beautiful. I remember feeling my shoulders relax.”

In the summers, West celebrates with friends on the lake. During winter, he’s part of a gay bowling team called the Gutter Queens. Since relocating in 2021, he has become a real estate agent, spending his days selling other people on the joys of life here.

Saugatuck and its neighboring town, Douglas, form a rainbow bubble within Michigan’s Bible Belt. The area is off the beaten path compared with the coastal hangs that typically attract huge gay crowds, yet its reputation rivals spots like Provincetown and Fire Island.

Drive through the lush, wooded roads in the warmer months and you’ll find a summer camp atmosphere. Hammocks hang outside a popular coffee shop. Kids spill floats purchased from the Douglas Root Beer Barrel out of their parents’ car windows.

Pride flags fly from many businesses and homes, a stark difference from the conservative towns in Western Michigan. At the Dunes Resort, the pool is packed with Speedo-clad gay men all summer long, and disco balls light up the confetti-filled dance floor every weekend.

“This is a small community where we get to enjoy the finer things in life and be comfortable and free,” West said. “It’s paradise for somebody like me to be able to come to a place and just feel so welcome.”

‘Fire Island of the Midwest’

There’s evidence of queer tourists and residents flocking here since the late 19th century, thanks to a long and colorful cast of eclectic artists, eccentric couples and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.

According to the Chicago Tribune , it really hit its stride in the 1960s as “a loosey-goosey mecca for pleasure-seekers, gay or straight.” During that era, the town was seen as a party destination for motorcyclists, college kids and queer people from near and far.

Gay travel guides like Bob Damron’s Address Book began ramping up around the same time, dubbing Saugatuck the “Fire Island of the Midwest.” Though a state law prohibited bars from hosting groups of gay people, a local jazz venue called the Blue Tempo became known for serving gay patrons.

Eric Gollannek, executive director of the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center , said the second edition of Bob Damron’s Address Book references the Blue Tempo as a mixed-crowd bar and also mentions “an interesting beach” nearby: a strip of sand that stretched from the north side of Saugatuck’s popular Oval Beach to the mouth of the Kalamazoo River.

• Stop at the Douglas Root Beer Barrel for a Chicago dog and a float.
• Take a dip in Lake Michigan at the Oval Beach .
• Hit the Dunes Resort for a pool party.

“They collected $5 to use their beach for the day,” said John Rossi, the facilities manager for Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency, a program that’s affiliated with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. “You could sunbathe nude, as long as you were not visible to the public.”

Rossi visited Denison’s Beach, owned by a local marine businessman named Frank Denison, for the first time in the 1970s. “It was mostly gay, but there was a mix, I could tell,” Rossi said. “Sometimes there were lesbians that frequented it, and occasionally you might see a straight couple.”

Rossi, 68, grew up about 40 miles away in Grand Rapids. He said word-of-mouth recommendations initially brought him to the area.

“There was this network — people told you, you knew what was safe and what wasn’t,” Rossi said. “I mean, there were three bars in Grand Rapids. There were two bars in Lansing you could go to. There were a lot of bars in Detroit we used to go to.”

One of the people who began frequenting the Blue Tempo was Carl Jennings, who was living near Grand Rapids with his wife and children. Though he was closeted at the time, he would spend his weekends tending bar in Saugatuck.

“Back then, you had to live and lead two lives. You had to be a straight person, or at least appear to be that way,” Jennings told Michigan Public radio in 2016. “And then, if you’re fortunate enough to find something like Saugatuck, it just felt warming and accepting.”

Eartha Kitt and ‘tea dances’

The Blue Tempo burned down in 1976, and the loss of that de facto gay space was felt immediately. By the early 1980s, Jennings had come out to his family and found his life partner, Larry Gammons. The couple decided to go into business together.

“We thought, ‘You know what, we should open a gay resort,’” said Gammons, now 77.

They originally set their sights on a hotel in Saugatuck, but the Saugatuck town council didn’t want to issue a liquor license to a gay business. After they were turned down for a third time, they found a shuttered roadside motel in Douglas and quickly made an offer on the property. At the first Douglas council meeting, they were able to secure their liquor license.

The Douglas Dunes finally opened in 1981, becoming one of the largest LGBTQ+ resorts in the country.

“May 1 was our grand opening, and we laughed about the fact that the city didn’t know what hit ’em, because cars were lined up and down the highway,” Gammons said. “All these people, they just showed up.”

“As you well know, all you’ve got to do is tell a gay person, and they spread the news. It spreads like crazy,” he added. “And everybody was so excited about a new big place opening up.”

Gammons and Jennings wanted the resort to be as safe as possible, so they hired their own security to make sure that homophobes wouldn’t get inside to harass patrons. They also made it clear to local police that they’d expect help with external issues. Over the years, the Dunes was targeted by gay bashers, received a bomb threat and even got a threatening call from the Ku Klux Klan.

Nonetheless, the resort was popular and quickly earned a reputation for throwing huge parties with fantastic entertainment.

“The music was so much better at the Dunes than in Grand Rapids,” Rossi said. “I used to talk to the DJs and I’d just tip them a couple bucks, and I’d say, ‘What was that you just played?’”

They booked performers such as Eartha Kitt, Linda Clifford and the Weather Girls (though the latter had to cancel at the last minute) and hosted tea dances every Sunday.

“We turned down Madonna,” Gammons said. “Her brother lived in the Detroit area, and he was gay, and Carl was DJing. She was just a punk rocker, and she went up to [Carl] when he took a little break and said: ‘I’m better than that girl. You know, you ought to put me onstage.’”

“We turned her down, and it was about six, eight months after that, she went to New York and got discovered,” he added.

The parties raged on for decades, with Gammons telling the Chicago Tribune in 1995 that gay tourism was bringing “an estimated $6 million annually to the area,” according to the paper. Gammons and Jennings sold the Douglas Dunes in the late 1990s to Danny Esterline, Greg Trzybinski and Mike Jones, who renamed it the Dunes Resort .

Though there is a widely cited statistic about Saugatuck-Douglas being home to more than 140 gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses, Jones said in an email that that number was “made up” for press releases and websites to “promote the area as gay-friendly.”

Jones, 58, still remembers visiting the Dunes — which he calls a “little Midwestern gay Mecca” — for the first time in 1990.

“It really stood out as like, ‘This isn’t normal.’ Even in Chicago in the late ’90s, guys weren’t holding hands walking downtown,” he said. “And you’re really right in the middle of God’s Christian reform, Southwest Michigan. So it’s almost like there’s a bubble over us. You have to remember that the whole world isn’t like this.”

Though Jones had visited many of the popular gay hot spots and swore he’d never live in a small town, he felt differently at the Dunes.

“I’ve been to P-town, and we’ve been to Fire Island, and we’ve been to Key West and Rehoboth, but they’re just a different attitude,” Jones said. “And I never thought when I was in Fire Island or P-town or Rehoboth: ‘This place is great. I want to live here.’”

Nude bathers in the 1890s

With a bit of close reading, the queer history in Saugatuck and Douglas dates back more than 120 years. Gollannek, the executive director of the local history center, said there are examples of same-sex relationships from the late 19th century through the 1920s.

“There’s sort of oblique references to ‘women dressing in men’s clothing, and it’s a problem,’ and ‘nude bathing of men and boys at the beach’ in the 1890s,” Gollannek said.

Some gay tourism can be attributed to the rise of steamboat travel, which made it easier for visitors to make their way over from Chicago. But the most obvious influence on the area’s emerging queerness was a woman named Elizabeth Bandle.

“She and her family had land in Saugatuck on a farm,” said Shanley Poole, 27, the engagement liaison and storyteller for Ox-Bow. “She invited a few students and professors up to do plein-air painting, because the lighting there was just gorgeous, and it kind of became a tradition year after year.”

Among the people who visited Bandle Farm in the early 1900s were Frederick Fursman and Walter Marshall Clute, artists from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago who went on to found Ox-Bow in 1910. Since artists and city-dwellers were typically more accepting of queer people at the time, it created an environment that fostered gay tourism.

“In 1910, we have these groups of artists and freethinking individuals — bohemian folk — coming to a secluded area,” Gollannek said. “Avant-garde artists coming here, painting plein-air, working with nude models, and this becomes a place where there’s some openness.”

The Saugatuck-Douglas History Center has records of LGBTQ+ people living in the area starting in 1917, with interior designer Florence “Dannie” Ely Hunn purchasing a cottage near Saugatuck-Douglas with Mabel “Jims” Warren, her partner of more than 50 years.

Many locals can also recall LGBTQ+ people and couples whom they met during their first trips to Saugatuck.

“We have had members within [the] GLBTQ community that go back to probably the ’30s, ’40s, like Mary Kay Bettles,” Rossi said. “She met her lover at a place over by where the chain ferry is now. It used to be a gas station and an ice cream shop.”

Bettles and her partner, Jean Palmer, were not the kind of couple who flew under the radar.

“Jean would wear ball gowns and fur coats and sit on her really rustic cabin porch during the summertime, and Mary Kay Bettles was, like, wearing jean shirts and trousers and loved her dogs,” Poole said. “And [Bettles] would wear a sheriff’s badge and kind of dubbed herself the sheriff of Ox-Bow and would chase people off campus if they didn’t have a reason to be there.”

Some visitors and residents were closeted in their hometowns, but felt safe to live with their partners and express affection in Saugatuck-Douglas. Burr Tillstrom , the Chicago-based puppeteer, kept his private life quiet, but purchased a barn in Saugatuck during the 1960s, which allowed him to loosen up as he spent his summers teaching at Ox-Bow.

Rossi, who’s now 68, also grew up during an era that lacked the language and freedoms that many LGBTQ+ people have today.

“Among artists, there was more of a tolerance for ‘less traditional lifestyles,’ as they would call it,” he said. “The definition of gay didn’t really come until maybe the ’50s or ’60s.”

“Saugatuck was sort of used to the fact that there was an eclectic crowd that came here. They painted, they partied, they spent money,” Rossi said. “And, you know, when people spend money, and money’s to be made, money does not have sexual orientation.”

These days, Saugatuck-Douglas is a bit different. It’s more expensive than it once was, with many hotels charging upward of $500 per night, and the frisky nude beach became a thing of the past when the Land Conservancy of West Michigan purchased Denison’s old land around 2009 .

“Now the city owns it,” Gammons said, “so no nudity, no hanky-panky, no liquor, no nothing.”

Julia Carmel is a Los Angeles-based writer. You can follow them on X: @julcarm .

Where to go

Our favorite destinations: Take our destination quiz to choose your own adventure. Then read about 12 dream destinations at the top of our wish list — without the crowds.

Travel like a local: Residents share their favorite places in our top city guides: New Orleans , Rome , Tokyo and Mexico City .

National parks: Explore tips from locals for visiting Yosemite , Glacier and Everglades .

Tales from the road: Trace a route along the southern coast of Puerto Rico . See how jamón gets made in the heartland of Spanish pork .

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• Cadette–8th Grade

Gulf Coast Cyber Challenge: July 7–12, 2025

Travel to the beautiful mississippi gulf coast, where you will navigate the world of cybersecurity. in the afternoons, you will explore this southern hidden gem with visits to the infinity space center, the mississippi aquarium, and a cruise to ship island..

About the Trip

Are you interested in cybersecurity? Have you wondered what it takes to keep yourself unhackable, protect yourself from cyber criminals, be on the front line of your own business, or how important cybersecurity is in our day-to-day life?  

Join Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi as we partner with The Mississippi Cyber Initiative and Women in Cyber to take a trip down the cyber range and learn how to properly maintain cyber hygiene at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College/Mississippi State University. We'll meet a panel of female specialists in the Head of Cyber through the forensics lab shared by local and government law enforcement agencies. We’ll visit the Stennis Center and Infinity Space Center and learn about the importance of cyber and technology through robotics. You’ll also get to experience life on a military base, as we will be staying at Keesler Air Force base.

In the evenings, we’ll wrap up by exploring the Gulf Coast nightlife at different beach venues, visiting the Mississippi Aquarium, creating a bowling team with your Girl Scout sisters, and taking a trip on the famous Ship Island Excursions. 

MS Aquarium – https://www.msaquarium.org/

Ship Island Excursions – https://msshipisland.com/

Infinity Space Center – https://www.visitinfinity.com/

Mississippi Cyber Initiative – https://www.mscyberinitiative.org/

81st Training Group – https://www.keesler.af.mil/About-Us/Tech-Training-Info/

Who Should Apply?

• Age: Girl Scouts entering grades 7–10 in summer 2025.
• Interests: Cybersecurity
• Requirements: Be able to work in a team environment, be open-minded and flexible and comfortable in moving water and on a large moving vessel. Girls 16 years old and older must have government-issued identification to enter Kessler Air Force Base. 
• Equipment: A packing list will be provided upon acceptance.
• Ignite Your Passion! This trip is great for Girl Scouts who are interested in exploring their future.

Program fee: $650. The Program Fee does not include airfare. Girl Scouts must arrange transportation to Gulfport, MS.

Deposit due upon acceptance: $150

Cancellation policy: A cancellation requests must be submitted in writing. No requests made after May 17, 2025 will be eligible for a refund unless there is a medical reason and we receive written notification from a medical professional. .

Financial aid may be available. Check with your local council.

Host and Contact Info

Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi  www.gsgms.org

Laurel Jalufka , [email protected] , 228-864-0932

Get ready. Get set. Get going!  

Download pre-registration worksheet (DOC) Gather required information and documents Submit application online

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Life-size dinosaurs, a candy store tour and more to do this weekend

Take a road tip to Wiscasset for art, food, car racing and a gargantuan amount of candy.

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One of many dinosaurs that will be at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. Photo courtesy of Jurassic Quest

Make no bones about it, it’s going to be a great weekend, starting with  Jurassic Quest at Cross Insurance Arena . Animatronic dinosaurs will delight the kids, who will also get a kick out of digging for fossils and riding on a baby dino. Another option in our weekly roundup is “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at the Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick.

‘Beautiful’ at Maine State Music Theatre, Pet Rock in the Park and Jurassic Quest

Some of the candy available at the Granite Hall Store in Round Pond. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

For an even sweeter experience, we’re sending you candy shopping. We’ve shined a light on five shops  with something extra to offer and created a nifty guide of 18 to look you can find  all around southern Maine and the Midcoast. From giant shops like Sweetz & More in Wiscasset to charming places like the Granite Hall Store in Round Pond, there’s a candy shop out there calling your name.

These 5 unique Maine candy stores are a real treat

The Brackett’s Market 4-Cylinder Pros compete Saturday at Wiscasset Speedway. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Should your sweets-seeking adventure bring you to Wiscasset, we clue you into  several other things to do  in town, including car races at the Wiscasset Speedway.

A trip to pretty Wiscasset can also include art, history, speed

Bagel sandwich with eggs, cheese and pork roll from Dutchman’s Wood-Fired Bagels in Brunswick. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

Want to hit breakfast right out of the park? Make your way to Brunswick for an egg and cheese sandwich from Dutchman’s Wood-Fired Bagels . We’re particularly partial to the one with pork roll and bodega sauce. Your taste buds can thank us later.

Pork roll and bodega sauce on a breakfast sandwich? We’re not in Brunswick anymore

Ling-Wen Tsai, “Rising/Sinking Study Chair,” wood and milk paint, 12 x 12 x 5 inches. Photo courtesy of Corey Daniels Gallery

Farther south in Wells, check out “Life Forms,” a women’s sculpture collective at the Corey Daniels Gallery. You’ll see works by about a dozen artists as you make your way through the exhibit.

Women’s sculpture collective debuts work in Wells

U.S. Navy Band Country Current performing in Tennessee. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class April Enos

For some Sunday afternoon live tunes, head to Memorial Park in Freeport at 3 p.m. for a free performance by Country Current . The band is the only U.S. Navy country/bluegrass ensemble, and the show should be a foot-stomping good time.

See U.S. Navy band Country Current for free in Freeport

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Police say man pointed gun at troopers before he was shot and fell from Piscataqua River Bridge

Truck that fell through covered bridge was 6 times heavier than posted limit, piscataqua river bridge reopens after police shooting on i-95, portland’s former diversity director says he was ‘abruptly fired’, paul lepage reemerges to support effort to oust sen. angus king, member log in.

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Trekking 85 Miles With Grandpa, Scuba Diving With Grandma

With older adults staying fit longer, many are joining their grandchildren on travel adventures like wilderness hikes, bike tours and even bungee jumping.

By Julie Weed

Rick Rhoads, 80, was “training like crazy” last spring, walking six miles a day — “all hills” — to get ready for his summer vacation. Mr. Rhoads, of Orcas Island, Wash., and Lucy Erent, his 15-year-old granddaughter, who lives in Prague, were planning to trek 85 miles in eight days along Scotland’s West Highland Way .

The route, which passes through farmland and forest and runs along Loch Lomond into the Scottish Highlands , traverses a range of terrains, including steep inclines and rocky trails. A trip organizer was set to manage lodging and transport the luggage each day.

Mr. Rhoads wasn’t daunted by the distance, or by the age difference. He said he was looking forward to continuing discussions the pair has had on video calls, on topics as varied as stage drama, cosplay, pandemics and family dynamics. “I’ll get her to do the talking when we’re going up hills,” he joked.

When they finally did the trek, in early July, there were a few wrinkles: The hiking was tougher than expected, and one of Mr. Rhoads’s boots began to fall apart near the end — nothing some duct tape couldn’t fix. Overall, Mr. Rhoads said, the adventure was challenging, but he was eager to do another, perhaps a route “that passed by cafes.”

Sixty may or may not be the new 40, but it’s clear that many older adults are enjoying longer “ healthspans ” — the time they are active, fit and healthy. This shift is adding a new dimension to traditional grandparent-grandchild vacations: adventure. Think bike trips instead of cruise ships, wilderness treks instead of bus tours.

According to the World Health Organization , healthy life expectancy, defined as “the average number of years a person can expect to live in full health” without disabling illnesses or injuries, rose globally to 63.7 in 2019 from 58.3 in 2000. In the United States, 40 percent of people 65 and older interviewed last year in an Outdoor Foundation study said they engaged in outdoor activities like hiking or biking. Older adults are also now more likely to be able to afford vacations: Americans 55 and over control nearly 70 percent of U.S. household wealth, compared with about 50 percent in 1989 .

Travel companies are taking notice. Craft Travel , a luxury trip planner that handles about 150 itineraries per year, has seen a big increase in grandparent-grandchild travel over the past five years, said Julia Carter, its founder, adding that “the trend has definitely been toward more adventurous, or bucket-list-type, experiences” — African safaris, hikes in Patagonia and trips to Antarctica.

Tour companies and activity providers, which generally don’t impose age caps on their offerings (though some do have minimum age requirements), are making accommodations for the new demographic. Some examples:

The Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Savusavu, Fiji, which offers snorkel and scuba outings, has had grandchildren with grandparents as old as 84 learn to scuba dive together. For guests older than 70, along with the standard safety training, the resort provides a doctor to certify the diver’s health.

Road Scholar , a travel company that was founded to serve older adults and now has an online catalog dedicated to grandparent-grandchild travel, details the physical expectations of its trips so participants can decide if they can handle them. The description of its white-water rafting trip on the Lower Salmon River in Idaho, for example, tells travelers they’ll be “carrying bags in camp across uneven terrain. Temperatures often in the 90+ degree range.”

Backroads , which offers multigenerational biking, hiking, snorkeling and kayaking trips, sends training advice in advance of departure. Like many other bicycle trip organizers, Backroads makes e-bikes available, with a typical minimum age set in the midteens. Some grandparents use the e-bikes to keep up with their grandchildren, but depending on everyone’s fitness level, it may be the younger generation using them, said Liz Einbinder, a Backroads spokeswoman.

Some older adults are embarking on more extreme adventures. Nick Steers, the executive director of Great Canadian Bungee , which hosts more than 10,000 guests per year in Chelsea, Quebec, for bungee jumping, zip lining and rafting, said nearly 5 percent of its participants were 60 or older, including some grandparents there with their families. Ron Jones, the founder of Bungee America , outside Los Angeles, said that in July, a 15-year-old had jumped with his grandparents.

Active grandparents have some tips for others considering an adventure vacation with their grandchildren.

“Preparation for any trip is key,” said Joe Bassett, 60, who runs the guided wilderness adventure company Valiant Outfitters . He takes his grandchildren, the oldest of whom is 7, on hikes and overnight stays. For a camp-out he said, grandparents might walk the trail in advance to make sure they know its contours. “An ideal route would be a loop that is never more than a couple miles from the parking lot,” he said. Mr. Bassett advises no-cook meals. “Keep it simple with familiar foods,” he said.

Harriet Vogel, 84, of Palm City, Fla., also has some advice: Choose activities you both enjoy and then “have hopes rather than expectations, and just let the trip happen,” she said. When she was 79, Ms. Vogel celebrated her grandson Matthew’s college graduation by snorkeling, paddle boarding and biking with him in the Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis, all mutual interests. Last year it was her granddaughter Jessie’s turn, and the two went on a walking and hiking trip in Switzerland, organized by Backroads. Ms. Vogel is currently planning a fall trip with another grandchild. The time together “increases our closeness,” she said.

While many grandparents may be ready to go on adventures with their grandchildren, not all of them are eager to deal with technology to do so.

When Fin Expeditions, in Cocoa Beach, Fla., noticed an increase in multigenerational groups going out on its kayaking tours, management made sure to offer reservations over the phone for those who don’t like dealing with websites.

But that kind of help wasn’t necessary for Fran Doran, 79, of Butte, Mont., who took her granddaughter scuba diving in Thailand this summer as a graduation gift. “I organized it and made all the reservations online,” Ms. Doran said. The pair also rode in a bamboo boat and waded with elephants in a river. “It’s fun to research,” she said.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

D enver: The city is undergoing a rebirth , with a newly refreshed Union Station and the gradual reopening of the mile-long, pedestrian-friendly 16th Street Mall to go along with views of the snow-capped Front Range.

Amtrak’s Empire Builder Route :  Most people who take the 4,000-mile journey from Chicago to Seattle will just watch the heartland whiz by. Our writer hopped off to explore six places you might otherwise miss .

Provincetown, Mass.:  Located at the tip of Cape Cod, P-town (as locals call it) has overlapping — and sometimes competing — identities : one of America’s oldest art colonies, nature preserve, thriving L.G.B.T.Q. resort and historic Portuguese fishing village.

Lake Como, Italy:  Stars like George Clooney frequent this scenic corner of northern Italy, but you might be surprised by how affordable it can be. Here’s an insider’s guide .

South of France:  Horses, bulls and birds of all types live among the pink marshes of the Camargue, a rugged landscape shaped  by the relentless push and pull of sea and river.

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